Autumn Untitled
by Zebra Ink
Summary: Fira, Iza, and Kiki, a former squad of genin now grown up and fully matured, struggle with their own hardships in the Autumn season of Konoha while wading through their individual romances with Sai, Neji Hyuuga, and Gaara of the Desert.
1. Birthday Party

**AUTHORS NOTE: (IMPORTANT) This story is arranged to rotate through three different characters' points of view every chapter. In periodically follows this order:**

**Fira. (Somehow coupled with Sai)**

**Iza. (Neji (NejixTen fans unite later, this is a gift to a friend)**

**Kiki. (Gaara)(Long overdue)**

** My friends love Naruto with a passion. They requested this story, and it is a gift. It should only have five or six more chapters after this. It centers around the romances of the three characters, who have now grown up since being on a genin team together and focuses on their ninja-type problems and romances with Sai, Neji, and Gaara. (The three male ninja most in need of a little lovin. xD)**

**There's Never Enough Time**

If anyone had ever told me she would live to turn sixteen, I would have laughed in their face.

She was the clumsiest and most disoriented person on the planet, always slipping and tripping over imaginary obstacles; it was a wonder she was not in a full body cast. On missions, she would always give away our position by accidentally falling over herself or tripping over the very air around her. She was a klutz.

Somehow though, she had managed to trudge through sixteen years of dark bruises and rough scrapes, both of which usually caused by herself and not enemies. I marveled at the fact that I could be here today at my best friend's sixteenth birthday party.

Only, it would in fact be a party if there were more people here. I could tell by the guilty look on her face that she had spent all week ripping down the flyers I had painstakingly posted all over the village. She hated parties or any social gathering that involved large amounts of people, especially if the location of the gatherings was in my paranoid friend's house. She sipped her cup of milk quickly, trying to avoid looking me in the eye.

After an hour of this drawn out and thick silence, we heard a rhythmic tapping on her side door which she was surprisingly and uncharacteristically eager to answer. She rushed from her seat- too quickly- causing her teacup to plummet to the floor. Out of either reflex or familiarity, I caught the teacup before it was even halfway to the cold linoleum.

I heard a shuffling of coats being exchanged to be placed on the coat rack, followed immediately by two pairs of footsteps, completely parallel in everyway: One the all too familiar clumsy stomping back to her seat, and the other a perfect set of quiet marching to a vacant chair. I sighed and grimaced at my teammates' contrast to each other.

Iza was the first to speak up.

"So, I'm guessing she somehow destroyed whatever plan you had going for a party, didn't she?" She had an uncanny ability to read our faces. I sneered in the opposite direction of Iza; She chuckled under her breath, guessing my response.

"I never asked for a party." Kiki stated defiantly in response. She began swirling her spoon around in her now re-filled teacup.

I refused to look at either of them. They never appreciated anything.

"Did she even confiscate her cake?" Iza was mocking me.

I looked at her with the most serious expression I could muster: Kiki would never destroy a mint condition sugary treat such as a cake. Iza laughed her big hearty laugh and Kiki sunk further down into her chair. I officially hated both of them.

"If you're just going to make fun of me-" Kiki began, but we all knew she was just eager to remove the people, even though they were previously her teammates, from her house.

"Alright, alright. We do have gifts we would like to give you first." Iza beamed. She obviously had found something interesting to wrap up for Kiki. Kiki groaned at the thought of objects being bought for her.

I fumbled around lazily in my bag for her simply wrapped gift until the modest little package had been found. I dropped it coldly on the hard marble and slid it across the table to the place Kiki was sitting. She analyzed the package as Iza dropped a superfluously wrapped gift of her own for Kiki on the table. Neon red glitter paper dismissed my newspaper wrapped gift instantly in the looks department, but Kiki chose to open my gift first anyway.

Sighing and struggling to fight with the poorly placed tape, she eventually opened my gift to find a pair of green complicated goggles. Kiki tried to hide her look of confusion and failed, so I began to explain.

"They allow you to see in the dark. I thought they may be useful considering how much you hate sunlight but love reading." Weird friends were so hard to buy gifts for.

"Oh, thanks." I think she actually smiled a little. I attempted to casually glance at Iza to check for signs of her confident smirk faltering, but it failed and she caught me, only widening her devilish smile. Iza almost literally shoved her gift at Kiki, forcing our extremely jumpy friend to flinch with alarm.

"Mine next." Iza said, as if there were other gifts than hers to open. Kiki nodded and cautiously examined the box.

Long, spidery fingers flittered around the ostentatious red material, trying to find a place to begin tearing. Eventually after ripping the paper to shreds, (a silent chuckle lingered in my throat at Iza's expression), Kiki began to examine the product: They were long white and black striped pieces of material, made to slip over her hand and cover the bare skin from her wrists to her upper arm. The pattern looked almost like that of a zebra's and they sat lifelessly under Kiki's trembling excited fingers. They were eccentric and complicated- And they were just something that Kiki would wear.

Iza's face was that of triumph as a small smile crept on to Kiki's face.

Kiki's resigned face returned as she thanked both of us for the gifts. I could tell she was eager to place the contraptions on her slender arms, but she kept her nerve and remained polite about her gratitude with both of our gifts.

I sighed my defeated sigh and trudged to Kiki's refrigerator where I revealed her simple chocolate cake. Bringing it to the table, Kiki's eyes brightened and grew wide with childish delight. When she thought I wasn't looking, she impishly outstretched her index finger towards a fudge-frosting flower only to have it slapped away by my free hand.

Kiki fidgeted in her seat with anticipation, waiting for her slice of the treat while Iza rambled on about a mission she had just finished recently. I ignored them bored and silently cut the cake into even squares. I mindlessly dumped a rather large piece of cake onto Kiki's longing plate, watching as she instantly slowed her motions in an attempt to stretch the cake's existence on her plate out longer. I gave Iza the smallest piece I could manage.

After dumping cake on to my own plate, I placed the delightful snack back into the fridge and returned to the table. Instantly I noticed a chunk of my cake missing, and didn't even hesitate to allow Kiki's face to appear in my mind.

Calcifer, Kiki's completely snow-white house cat wandered into the kitchen after allowing the smell of food to enter his nostrils. Kiki made disgusting baby talk at him about the poison quantities chocolate would have in cats, but he completely ignored her to stare at the piece of cake attached to the edge of her fork that was waved around wildly while she was engrossed in her little explanation.

I stared at my own tea stained cup, layered with a 'harmless' coat around the edges, as Kiki explained it. I looked over to see Calcifer jumping up into Kiki's lap, only to be disappointed at the sight of her empty plate. She giggled at his disgruntled face. I looked towards Iza and saw her glaring at me. I caught her eye and she looked away.

I probably deserved her scorn.

Kiki sensed the tension and was probably eager to rid it of her house. Her shifty eyes darted around in their sockets madly, and Kiki once again looked like a crazy person. I fought to ignore the laughing fit building in my belly at her bizarre expression, only to have it emerge from my throat in the form of a snort. Kiki looked over with a firm frown and sunk lower into her chair.

I absentmindedly looked at my watch and noticed how late it was getting, so I stood up and began to push in my chair. Iza mirrored me and we both dropped our plates in the small stone sink. Kiki stood up to bid us farewell, or more accurately usher us out her door; Calcifer's tail swished back and forth in her very pale arms, as two pairs of cat-like eyes bore holes in the back of our heads. We heard Kiki incoherently mumble something close to 'see you some other time', and then we left.

We stood awkwardly on her small porch, avoiding eye contact with each other. I opened my mouth to say something, but it felt dry and raspy, and I lost my nerve. Gaining courage again, I opened my mouth to blurt out the first thing that appeared in my head.

"Kiki's crazy, isn't she?" I half-laughed. Iza didn't even smile.

"At least she's responsible. She's a good friend." Iza's icy tone sliced through me like a knife. I most likely deserved it.

I sighed and began walking away, I stopped after I'd reached about ten feet, turning around only to depart with a few final words.

"I really am sorry, you know…" I stared vulnerably back at her, and for a moment, her evil gaze faltered and she looked unsure. She spun around and power-walked in the opposite direction in an attempt to avoid me, even though we both knew her house was in my direction.

I popped the collar up of my favorite coat and began the long walk home. Light little leaves fluttered down from the trees, assuring that autumn was beginning. I wandered through the streets of Konoha, dragging my feet as I walked towards my house. My eyes struggled to stay open as I realized how unbelievably tired I was.

Before I even realized it was happening, I was falling to the ground, unable to support myself any longer. I closed my eyes and braced for the impact, but it seemed to last forever, as I never hit the ground. My eyes fluttered open to see a familiar sallow face staring back at me with bemused eyes. Firm hands held me in place and I could feel the reprimanding aura consume me.

"You need to get to bed earlier." Sai said emotionlessly. He was most likely sick of always saving my hide.

"Yeah…" I yawned, and tried to stretch my arms, but he caught them and continued staring at me with that stern-looking face of his.

"Seriously." He eyed my face for any source of emotion. He eventually found what he was looking for and lifted me back up, letting me go when I had steadied myself. "If I allow you to walk home on your own, you may almost pass out again. This would not set a good example of our young ninjas, so I simply cannot allow it."

I looked at Sai's blank face and thought I saw a flicker of eagerness, but quickly dismissed the possibility from my mind. I smiled a little at the thought of him making progress.

"Thanks Sai… But you really don't have to." I stated meekly. Sai struggled to find the correct words, but eventually licked his lips and began.

"No." He paused. "You need help getting home, otherwise you could pass out from exhaustion. The Hokage-" He paused again. "The Hokage would not be pleased if I were to leave you." He seemed pleased with his explanation. I sighed.

"Okay." I walked feebly next to him. This wasn't the first time he'd been there to catch me when I fell. He was constantly there to save me, and I had become quite the damsel in distress to him. I silently wondered if he had been reading fairy tales lately and genuinely believed that he constantly needed to save me. I was slowly being drained of my independence.

"Why haven't you been sleeping, Fira?" He asked, trying to be casual. I could hear the hidden curiosity in his voice.

"Things have just been on my mind, I suppose…" I looked sleepily away from him and began to grind my teeth. "There's never enough time, is there Sai…?" I trailed off, leaving Sai with what looked like it might be a confused expression.

**Collide**

I couldn't believe Fira would betray me like that, to sink so low as to abandon a friend completely and leave them completely vulnerable, especially in such a mixed company. She had utterly gone over the line.

Yet I was the one feeling sorry.

I hadn't forgiven her yet, but I did mean to apologize to Kiki; My attitude might have spoiled her 'party'. I felt guilty that her gift had been more out of spite of Fira then out of genuine happiness for her birthday. I should bring her a bag of candy later.

I had to walk twice as far to get back to my home due to my oh-so-necessary dramatic exit. After awhile, I began running home, eager to collapse on my bed and scream into the nearest pillow. I felt weak and fragile, and I hated it. As I reached my house, my trembling cold hands fumbled with the keys but eventually got it. My lips were chapped already and winter wasn't even here yet. I smiled when the warmth of the house swallowed me.

Tossing my coat on the nearest end table, I slowly trudged to the nearest ottoman and lost most of my posture. I curled up in the huge black leather chair and tried to calm myself down, to reason and reassure myself. It helped only a little, and then the memory of last night's events swarmed into my brain and filled my head with it's hurtful contents:

I should've picked up that the night would be a double-edged sword when the stars refused to shine and the air was too thick to even breathe properly in. I clung to my jacket and scarf protectively and followed Fira through a crowd of people to reach a massive run-down industrial building. It looked like it hadn't been in production for ages, but bright multicolored lights flashed from the windows, highlighting the activity inside.

I assured myself that it would be fine, that even though I despised parties, it wouldn't kill me to go to one. Fira grabbed my arm and pulled me through the entrance with her sequined blue halter top and short black skirt. She had on stockings that looked like they belonged to Kiki and strange pointed shoes. I opened my jacket slightly and sighed at my plain clothing; I was not dressed for a party.

A plain white wool sweater and blue jeans seemed dull in comparison, and high tops seemed slightly too casual. I bit my lip and covered myself in my jacket again, protecting myself from the eyes that would surely tear me to shreds.

I timidly walked inside, completely out of my element. Fira turned to me and grinned. She thought I was eager with anticipation and enthusiasm, as opposed to the fear and anxiousness I was feeling inside. I bit my lip and maneuvered through the masses of people dancing, trying to keep up with Fira.

Fira grabbed my arm again and guided me to a booth in the back filled with the familiar faces of Tenten, Kiba, and a disgruntled Neji. I choked out a greeting to them all and took a seat next to Neji, happy and overwhelmed with relief at seeing my friends. Neji smirked a little, and I knew his keen eyes had sensed my relief. My breathing smoothed and I looked towards Neji out of reflex.

"Neji?" I began, my shyness only detectible to and caused by him.

"Yes?" He answered coolly.

"Do you plan on dancing?" I asked timidly. He looked at me as if I'd asked if he was going to grow a second head.

"Of course not. Tenten and Kiba unfortunately dragged me here." He scoffed.

"Oh. Good. I was hoping someone could stay at the table with me so I wouldn't be alone while they all moved to the dance floor." I said quietly. He quirked an eyebrow.

"Why do you not wish to dance, presuming you came by your own free will, that is." He asked calmly.

"Fira made me come here, seeing as Kiki is mildly agoraphobic and hates leaving her house unless she has to." I stated.

"Ah." He ended the conversation as everyone but the two of us left the table to go dancing. We sat in silence for a long time before he spoke again. I twiddled my thumbs as he spoke.

"Fira." He acknowledged as she brought some drinks to the table, only she looked older; She looked like she had transformed herself into a twenty-one year old. I eyed the drinks cautiously.

"They're non-alcoholic." She assured me with a wink before returning to the dance floor. I reluctantly gulped down the drink.

Instantly I felt slightly looser and more easy going. My rational mind told me not to drink anymore, but for some reason I downed another one and another, causing Neji to look at me questionably. I suddenly felt impulsive and dizzy, and the room began spinning. I clutched onto Neji's sleeve for support, but it didn't help much. His eyes widened with this new action, but I ignored it, grasping on to him tighter to gain more support. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he flinched with the contact, attempting to pull away, but I held even firmer.

"Everything is spinning Neji…" I cooed. He cursed under his breath and pulled my arms away from him. He stood up, grabbing my hand and pulling me along with him.

He maneuvered me through the crowd of people, helping me back up every time I stumbled and fell due to this new clumsiness. I felt dazed and confused, and everything was disorienting. He suddenly used his byakugan and located our friends. He grew impatient with my slow moving and decided to pick me up and carry me as a faster mode of transportation.

Fira giggled when she saw him carrying me, bridal-style, in his arms towards them. She opened her mouth to say a snide innuendo, but quickly shut it the moment she saw my sickly expression and confused look.

"Wh-what happened to her?" She gaped. Tenten and Kiba looked worriedly back at each other.

"You said they were non-alcoholic drinks." Neji spat at her.

"They were only supposed to loosen her up a little! They barely had any alcohol in them! How would I know her body would react so badly to the drinks!" Fira was panicky, and I could tell she was on the verge of tears, even in my delusional state.

"You should of thought of that before you gave them to her!" Neji snarled. I whimpered in his arms in complaint to all the yelling between the two parties. Neji looked at me empathetically and decided that removing me from the party was more important than punishing Fira.

Neji rushed me out of the building to a nearby park where he could address me alone and allow me to attempt to regain at least a bit of my composure. He placed me on a swing and sat in the one next to me, staring at me with those calculating white eyes, searching for signs of my condition worsening or getting better.

"You know," I began unsteadily, almost falling off the swing, "You're really nice. You used to scare me a lot, but you're a really, really nice guy…" I trailed off as I began a fit of hiccups. He gaped a little at my sudden compliment before recomposing himself.

"Why were you afraid of me?" He ventured cautiously. "We've always been good friends." I hiccupped again and giggled.

"Because I always thought you, you were really good-looking, and I always wanted to kiss you." I said without thinking. My legs dangled back and forth childishly before I noticed a stream nearby. I shamelessly took off my shirt, leaving me only in my undershirt, and reached for the buckle on my belt. "We should go swimming." I said placidly. Neji looked mortified as to where this was going.

"No Iza. Put your clothes back on. We will not be going swimming." He tried to command, but his voice cracked with embarrassment from my previous confession.

"Don't be a spoil-sport. I'll go without you then." I attempted to pull my legs out of my pants, but I was struggling with even the slightest of tasks. Neji firmly grabbed my wrist and gave me a stern scolding look.

"No Iza." He commanded, more forcefully now, but I still struggled. He grabbed my other wrist and I turned my face away from his reprimanding eyes like a small child refusing to look at it's parent after it's done something wrong. I gave up my struggling and pulled my shirt back over my head in embarrassment and shame. He watched me with a small frown plastered on his face as he stood up and grabbed my hand.

"I'll take you home." He said calmly. Hot tears of humiliation ran down my face.

My mind drifted back to the present, and I was left sitting in my leather ottoman again. I wrapped my arms around my knees in a weak way of attempting to comfort myself. Tears yet again poured from my eyes as I rocked myself back and forth in the chair, trying to forget my shame. I bit my lip until it bled, ignoring the iron-tasting fluid until I coughed.

I ran into my bedroom and destroyed anything I could get my hands on.

Books were ripped to shreds and sheets and mattresses torn apart; Shelves were dismantled and clothes were thrown about; Larger furniture was tipped over, and wallpaper was cleaved from the walls. I ran back into my living room and collapsed on the couch, crying until my sinuses were horribly clogged and my eyes completely dry. It wasn't until that complete desperation that I called someone who I normally wouldn't even consider for a favor:

Kiki.

Fingers fumbling with the phone, I clumsily pushed the buttons to dial her number. The phone rang twice before the soprano-voiced young woman answered suspiciously.

"Hello?" She questioned, and for a moment I considered hanging up on my paranoid former teammate.

"Um, Kiki, it's me. Iza." I inserted quietly.

"Oh. Hi." Her voice turned to that of concern, knowing I never called her unless it was an emergency.

"Can I come over for a little while?" I bit my lip. I knew she wouldn't say yes; It was a long shot that she allowed us in earlier. She hesitated for a moment, but then began speaking again.

"…yes…" She gulped. I knew this was very difficult for her, but she sensed my desperation in the phone call and knew I needed support.

"Thank-you Kiki. I'll be right over." I half-smiled, and I was pretty sure she did the same. She hung up as I did.

I snatched my coat from the coat rack in the entry and rummaged through the destruction in my room to find my scarf. I looked out the window to realize it was raining and decided to find my galoshes as well. I placed a cap on my head and walked calmly to the mirror to check the ruins of my face. I grimaced at my reflection.

I licked my fingers and tried to fix my hair, rubbing the tear stains from my face. I removed the sleep from my eyes and started towards the door. I grabbed an umbrella from a nearby container and began my journey back to Kiki's, hoping not to be stopped along the way. I gulped and wondered what Kiki would think of my story, and hoped she wouldn't take on an all-knowing persona about the dangers of public places. I shivered and began to look forward to the warmth of the tea Kiki undoubtedly would already have made for me when I arrived.

I could only hope that Neji's paths and mine would not collide again.

**The District Sleeps Alone Tonight**

I instinctively began to boil water in my teakettle over the stove, setting out two teacups for my guest and I. I was surprised with myself: I wasn't dreading this visit. I rubbed my forearms, which of course were being warmed by Iza's gift; My head adorned Fira's gift as well.

I perched on top of a cushion in the picture window and awaited Iza's arrival. She probably wouldn't take very long, and I stunned myself by how much I realized I longed for company in this big house by myself, (and Calcifer of course). I came to an astonishing conclusion that I wanted to be within human contact- at least for today.

I didn't want to be alone.

The sun was sinking into it's early evening position and it made the sky turn a tropical pink that made my heart melt and my icy platinum eyes reflect a pale purple. I let my eyelids flutter closed and my eyelashes press against the skin under my eyes. I pursed my lips, trying to listen to the sounds of the house- the moaning of the floorboards, the groaning of the walls, and the wails of the wind against the windows. I sighed contently and reopened my eyes, suddenly distraught at what I saw:

Iza, with tears streaming from her eyes with a twisted sparkle from the moonlight, was running towards me frantically with trembling hands. She was running like a one human army and biting her lip to keep from crying out in frustration. My insides were churning nauseatingly and I dashed towards the seldom used front door to allow her entrance.

She practically crashed through my doorway and collided with my couch where Calcifer slept, alarming him and causing him to hiss and run away, scared out of his wits. He galloped under my reading chair and little green eyes peeped out from underneath the legs of the chair. Iza shook dramatically on my couch.

Nervously, I slinked towards her; I was never particularly good at cheering others up, (I'd never had practice of course). I moved closer, and her face shot up from being held in her hands to staring me straight in the eye, her own pair shifting madly around, looking for reassuring words. I gaped, and in a tense and self-doubting stupor, I went silent.

The boiling water made the teakettle whistle loudly, forcing me out of my dazed expression. I stuttered out the words "Let's go to the kitchen…" before stumbling into a run to the scullery.

She followed sluggishly behind me in a zombie-like fashion as I spun into the kitchen to turn the burner on the stove off and retrieve the kettle. I poured the scalding water over the happily awaiting teabags and into the cups. Bringing them to the table, I watched as she slowly sat down and held her head in her arms, rocking back and forth in her chair.

I sat down cautiously and timidly nudged her teacup towards her.

"…what happened?" I asked softly, trying to be as sympathetic as possible. She looked up at me suddenly with bloodshot eyes and a tortured expression.

"Kiki, please, do not let anyone enter this house while I tell you the following information." She begged.

"Do I ever really let people enter my house?" I said as seriously as I could muster. She attempted to smile.

I remained calm throughout her entire story, never interrupting, even when a question emerged in my mind. She finished just as I finished my first cup of tea. I silently walked to the stove and turned the burner back on to reheat the tea before taking my place back at the table. Calcifer walked in the room only to jump in the windowsill and make himself comfortable there. I began asking questions that I had refrained from asking through the course of her story.

"Do you love Neji?" I cocked my head to the side. She hesitated before answering.

"…No… maybe… I don't think I do." Her brow furrowed in frustration. I paused then began again.

"I think… that Neji will understand and that he won't hold it against you. I believe things will be different between the two of you from now on considering neither of you can forget the embarrassment both of you endured, but I don't believe that he will look down upon your actions when you honestly couldn't control yourself or the decisions you were making. Sadly, I think he will continue to hold a grudge against Fira for her irresponsible actions regarding you, a minor, and questionable amounts of alcohol." I finished.

The teakettle whistled again and I wandered over to the stove to turn off the heat; Iza hadn't even taken a sip from her cup, so I didn't bother asking if she desired more. I noticed a chip in one of my nails and sighed, and vowed to attend to it later. Sitting back down at the table, I noticed she had calmed down considerably, and smiled inwardly at my reassuring skills.

Rocking back and forth in my chair, I stared at her curiously, wondering if my analysis on her mood had truly been correct and I hoped I had not made the situation worse like I so often did. My body tensed in anticipation, studying her face for any flick of emotion that could help me decipher her feelings at this point. My muscles tightened and I clenched the table edges, my fingers leaving small indents in the wood. I was prepared for any reaction from her, good or bad.

I was not, however, prepared for Calcifer's reaction, which was to jump in my very tense lap, making me squeak loudly and fall clumsily out of my chair. I heard a snort, followed by a large hearty laugh, filling the room with it's presence and shattering the tension. Iza soon mimicked my ungraceful fall to the floor, clutching her sides in the clumsy action, and rolling onto her back, chortling with harmless humor at my jumpiness.

I grinned a childish grin and began joining in the laughter, unable to control myself after watching _her _lumbering fall to the floor. Calcifer ran from the room madly, eager to escape the two clearly insane individuals, until his galloping left him safe in the living room.

Iza and I continued our giggling fits until the moment died into a small chuckle and finally a long drawn-out sigh. To a spectator it would appear we were pretending to be turtles as we struggled to return to an upright position after staying awkwardly on our backs for so long.

We finally began standing and stretching again, smiling candy shop smiles, before collapsing lazily into our chairs again. Some tea had splattered on the table in our clumsy falls to the floor, so I skipped over to the cupboard to retrieve a towel to wipe up the mess. When I returned, the same serious expression was plastered on her face, the one of frustration that occurred when she had reached a difficult decision. I cleaned up the puddle on the marble kitchen surface and waited for her to speak again.

"I think I should forgive Fira." She announced reluctantly. I raised a brow.

"You do?" I asked doubtfully; Iza wasn't usually so quick to forgive such matters.

"…Yes." She stated after a short period of muteness, doubting it a bit herself. "I think she feels absolutely horrid and as you said, Neji will probably never forgive her, and it is unwise to keep grudges against comrades." She added, suddenly a bit more certain of her decision.

I smiled, happy that this was the path she chose. I finished cleaning the table and threw the wet towel in my laundry closet just north of the kitchen. I glanced out the window, only to realize the sun had vanished, only to be replaced by the high moon. Questioning how much time had gone by, I slid back into the kitchen with a sad expression on my face. Iza wondered what caused my sorrow, and looked as if she were about to ask, but I opened my mouth first.

"It is twenty-three hundred hours." I sighed regretfully. Her eyes squinted in disbelief and then suddenly alarm as she realized how long she had been here. She quickly stood up from her chair and started towards the direction of her belongings, but instead turned around and pulled me into an awkward tackle-like hug. I winced at the human contact.

Retrieving her personal items, she waved goodbye and shouted a sincere 'Thank-you' at me as she dashed out the door. I blinked a few times in compliance before locking the five locks adorning my door and pulling the shutters I had installed closed over the windows.

Sneaking into the lounge, I found Calcifer snoozing on my large black foot stool. I picked him up and he reluctantly bequeathed his place on the comfortable furniture as I carried him into my large master bedroom. I placed him on the pillow next to mine and turned my stereo on, making sure to lower the volume so as to not annoy my finicky cat.

Sitting on the edge of my large comfy bed, I allowed my legs to hang off the side, dangling them back and forth in childish delight. I was mildly perturbed in the sudden realization that I only had two years of childhood left ahead of me, and vowed to make it last as long as possible.

Crawling to the center of the bed to sit in lotus position, I thought over the events of the day and allowed myself to wonder what could have made my day better, but could think of nothing. I was surprisingly delighted to have company today and was thankful I did not spend today alone, (Not including my beloved Calcifer of course).

I heard my favorite indie song begin to play on my stereo and grinned gleefully, giggling with the delight of a finally perfect day. I stood up on my bed and impulsively began to jump up and down in giddy satisfaction, startling Calcifer half to death. Taking one final jump, I pulled my legs up and allowed my self to free fall on my back, smiling blindly at my surroundings.

I closed my eyes contently and decided on sleeping, but something irked at my consciousness. I turned over on my side and bit my lip, unable to remove one final desire from my head.

I wandered into the kitchen, wondering if that birthday cake was still in the fridge.

Konoha's ward of the state would sleep happily alone tonight.

* * *

**Most people buy their friends gifts. I write them stories. Go figure. **

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	2. Better Birthday Party

**I forgot to put the disclaimer last time. I sawwy. **

**So there are about a bazillion of these fanfics posted on here.**

**I feel like I've posted my right of passage.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto. Good thing too; Too many characters to keep up with.**

**Rainbow Veins**

I dangled my legs off the edge of the fluffy cushioned bench in the hospital I was currently waiting in, bored as ever and eager to see the patient I was there to visit. Two female strangers prattled on as they sat on the bench nearest to mine. I happened to notice them flutter their eyelashes excessively anytime the male medic they considered attractive walked by. A smiling brunette with teeth too big for her face finally directed me to a room on the third floor so I could finally greet the patient waiting inside.

Sliding the door open slightly, I casually slipped in the space now ajar between the doorframe and the door and quietly shut it behind me, attempting to not draw attention to myself, but unfortunately, my injured former teammate was awake and glaring at me furiously.

"You were just going to drop off that card and leave, weren't you?" Iza accused, seething with anger. "Do you have any idea how BORED I've been here?"

I noticed Kiki huddled up in the corner closest to Iza's bed, and for a moment, I was mildly surprised she had left her house for anything less than a mission. I regained composure and smiled, nodding casually in her direction. She performed a small wave before retreating into her corner.

"Well, what do you have to say for yourself?" Iza ranted, demanding an answer.

"Actually, I had hoped they would drug you with the happy medicine." I grinned. I watched as her face went blank and then I heard a low hiss emit from her throat. She growled and attempted to spring at me, and I watched as her hands made gestures of strangling something. I laughed as the harness on her bed held her back, and turned to look at Kiki, whose eyes were wide with worry that the crazed woman would break free from her bed's hold and she would most likely have to intervene.

Iza finally gave up and crossed her arms, defeated. Kiki's small sigh of relief made me smile, and I sat down in the chair next to her, milking Iza's restraint much more than any sane person would.

"So it seems that you have willingly left your house today. Feeling adventurous?" I joked with her, but she instead grimaced, which instantly changed my expression to that of worry.

"Iza has two broken ribs and a broken leg, and a twisted ankle in the opposite leg." She sighed in disapproval. "They should have never let you go on the mission without me. No other shinobi knows how to calm her down as we do." Her brow furrowed together in self-loathing as she blamed herself for Iza's injury. I began laughing, as Iza's face turned to that of insult at the fact that she needed 'calming down' like some sort of wild animal.

"Are you implying Kiki, that I cannot survive without the two of you?" Iza hissed in our direction, and Kiki winced, attempting to rearrange her sentence to that of one Iza would accept.

"No…" She paused, still struggling for the correct words. "Only that I'm more… careful… to make sure you do not… put yourself in more danger than absolutely necessary." Kiki worded out, happy with her rebuttal.

Iza looked suspicious for a moment, but accepted the response and did not bring it up again. She attempted to turn her body to face me, but was clearly struggling. I giggled at her efforts, and she snorted, obviously unhappy to appear weak. Kiki absentmindedly pulled a piece of candy from her bag and slipped it into her mouth, most likely unhappy that her sugar intake today was so low do to the mass amounts of health food offered in the hospital cafeteria.

I heard the voice of the nurse who had just minutes before guided me to the room, and I grew silent, knowing this meant another visitor. Kiki's eyes grew wide at this sudden realization and I noticed her retreat even farther towards the wall from the corner of my eye, attempting to become as inconspicuous as possible. Iza just rolled her eyes, knowing the room would soon be even more crowded.

The door slid open, revealing an eager Tenten and Lee, and a less than enthusiastic Neji. I suddenly became very fascinated watching Kiki, who in turn seemed quite perturbed with my observations of her, as I felt Neji's eyes bore into the top of my head. Kiki curled up in a ball, unhappy with the attention I was now giving her.

"Good morning Iza!" Tenten smiled warmly at our friend, and then registered the same greeting towards us. Lee grasped a handful of balloons with various "Get Well" greetings plastered on them. Neji bid Iza good morning without looking her directly in the eye, which outputted a frown on her lips.

"Hi…" Kiki muttered from the corner, suddenly much more uncomfortable than she already had been. She slipped another candy in her mouth nervously.

Lee shoved the balloons towards Iza, and suddenly her face was nowhere to be seen in the forest of floating objects. Iza pushed the balloons to either side of her bed and attempted to sit up properly.

"Thank you for coming." She said awkwardly, and Tenten and Lee suddenly turned reprimanding.

"Of course we came to see you; You're our friend! Did you think we wouldn't visit? Don't be so polite!" They said in unison. Neji remained quiet, obviously uncomfortable.

Kiki surprised me by standing up and maneuvering around everyone to reach Iza's bedside and take a seat on the stool to it's left. Iza looked expectantly towards her, waiting for some significant statement Kiki would make, but all she received was a casual off-topic question.

"What does this machine do?" Kiki asked curiously, pulling at the goggles I bought for her and letting them snap back towards her head. She looked at Iza with bated breath and waited for an answer.

"I don't know." Iza replied, annoyed. "Why do you want to know anyways?"

"It's pretty." Kiki said simply. Iza gaped as she tried to comprehend Kiki's answer.

"What?" She mouthed.

"Look. It shows a little x-ray of your body." Kiki pointed to a picture of Iza's circulatory system. "They made all your veins color coded or something, or maybe it's just the lighting, but it looks like you have rainbow veins." Kiki said, dreamily content.

Iza looked mortified and suddenly very defensive, but her face returned to it's normal insipidness and then she faked a smile. I wondered why she looked so offended, but I dropped the question from my mind, instead looking at Neji from the corner of my eye, whose eyes had widened in realization and then dropped back down, avoiding human eye contact once again, except to glare at me for a brief second as a warning to stop staring at him. I immediately complied and looked away.

"It's probably just the lighting." Iza laughed. "But wouldn't that be amazing, to have blood like that?" She laughed and Kiki smiled an innocent smile, oblivious to the tension that had just passed through Iza, Neji, and I.

"Blood is actually blue." Tenten contributed, conforming to the topic of conversation.

"Yes, it is only red when air has touched it." Lee added to Tenten's previous statement. Kiki nodded politely, absorbing this new piece of information.

"Mm." Kiki mumbled, starting to slink back to her previous spot of inhabitance, only to have Lee grab her wrist. She looked mortified at this act of human contact, and burned the hand with her eyes before looking shocked at Lee's face.

"I would be honored to walk you home Miss Kiki." Lee said politely, smiling his trademark smile at her. Kiki's eyes darted around the room out of habit, as she internally struggled with her decision: Walking with Lee meant conversation, but walking without him meant walking home alone, and her paranoia soon prevailed.

"Thank you." Kiki fumbled the words out of her mouth, still unsure of her decision.

Lee walked behind Kiki as she started towards the door, but then suddenly spun around on her heel to stand next to Iza's bedside. She said a quick goodbye, and looked as if she might almost give her a hug, but decided against it before waving a farewell to everyone else in the room.

Once out of the room, Tenten erupted into a fit of uncontrollable giggles as she smiled towards the rest of us. Neji snorted, meaning he already knew what was going on and obviously disapproved of it. I raised my brow questioningly.

"Care to explain your sudden insanity Tenten?" Iza asked suspiciously.

"Lee's not taking her home." Tenten giggled again. "He's taking her out for a birthday dinner. We all have reservations and we wanted her to go for once. We're supposed to meet them up there." Tenten smiled and Neji grunted.

"She's not going to be happy when she realizes what's going on." Neji sighed.

"No, but at least we can finally get her out of that house. It's unhealthy for her to be locked up in there all the time. She should be out around the village, spending time with everybody." Tenten defended.

"How'd you know she'd even be here?" I asked, curious to know the inter-workings of their elaborate plan, but Neji shot a hateful look in my direction and I instantly looked back down towards my shoes. Tenten didn't seem to notice, and if she did, she ignored him completely.

"We didn't until this morning. Gai came back from his visit with Iza, and he said he noticed Kiki waiting in the lobby. So before we came, we called up the restaurant and they agreed to add another person to our table." Tenten smiled, proud of her plan. A sudden thought popped into my head.

"Why wasn't I invited?" I asked, completely offended. Tenten looked confused.

"I told Neji to invite you." She said. Oh. That made sense. He attempted to look away but caught the irate glare of Tenten full force.

"And what about me?" Iza hissed, obviously knowing her answer would be that she was in no condition yet to leave the hospital. Tenten grimaced.

"Don't worry. Since Neji forgot Fira's invitation, he most likely forgot to add her to our reservation list. She can have his seat and he can stay here and keep you company." Tenten spat the words in Neji's direction even though they were meant for Iza. He gaped and then began to grind his teeth together in frustration.

"That's a wonderful idea Tenten…" Neji struggled to keep his voice even. I fought the urge to smile at his misfortune, knowing I would receive a murderous look from him if I showed nothing less than remorse.

Iza smiled contently, happy that she wouldn't be left to rot in the hospital out of boredom. She clapped her hands together enthusiastically and started to lie back down in her bed. She didn't seem to mind that it would be Neji that would be keeping her company, or at least didn't show that she did, and instead pointed to the bag at the far side of the room, commanding me with her eyes to retrieve it for her. I began to argue that she couldn't boss me around, but Neji hissed under his breath in a way that suggested that if I failed to retrieve that bag for her, he would strangle me with it's strap. I immediately complied.

Iza ruffled through it's contents, finally finding a stereo and a few CDs. Shoving the small stereo towards me expectantly, I lethargically plugged it into the wall and set it on her bedside table. I looked through the stack of CDs, and asked her which one she wanted me to place in the stereo for her to listen to.

"You choose." She said lazily. I suspected she only enjoyed the ability to boss me around in her condition with Neji there to enforce her demands, and that she truly didn't wish to listen to the stereo at all. I picked the CD whose cover looked most interesting and placed it in the device carefully. An upbeat punk song began to play, and I quickly turned the volume down so as to not upset the other patients in the building.

Sighing, Iza closed her eyes and listened to the song contently, mouthing the lyrics with her thin red lips, signaling she no longer enjoyed our company and wished us to leave. Tenten and I waved goodbye, but she didn't seem to notice as we left the room. Neji gave one last pleading look to Tenten, but she snickered and slammed the door. I imagined him wincing in my head.

**Foundations**

I wiggled my toes wildly like a child underneath the hospital blanket, happy not to have pain in at least that part of my lower body. I hummed along to the song, sensing a stare from the insipidly pale pair of eyes sitting across from me. I looked up, but Neji didn't stop staring, and I grinned.

"Can I help you?" I chuckled, and he showed no sign of shame in his intense stare. I frowned. "Why are you staring at me?" I asked, cocking my head to the side like a puppy begging for food.

"How do you do it?" He asked intensely, and his question caught me off guard. He looked at me with his bright eyes in subtle variations of white.

"How do I do, what?" I smiled at him, but his brow creased together in frustration and he frowned harder, making my smile droop.

"Completely forget everything that happened that night and completely forgive Fira." He stated coldly, as if the name alone caused him pain. My eyes turned hard and I furrowed my brow, but despite it, I smiled.

"Do you know Kiki?" I asked, throwing him off guard.

"Uh, yes, of course." He stuttered, surprised.

"No, really know her?" I asked again, sighing.

"Well, I suppose not, but she's a particularly guarded person I-"

"No, she's not. Actually, all she does is this thing where she pretends she's in her own little world and acts as if she's a small child whenever there's any tension from those around her. Anyways, she uses it as a defense mechanism or some other psychological garbage to avoid confrontation in some sort of pacifist retreat. I've been using it to calm myself down when I get too angry or something- Kiki talked about some rubbish called a mantra for meditation- She's helping me with anger management-"

"You have every right to be angry with Fira." He spat in distaste, angry at having to say the Name again. "What she did was completely irresponsible- You could have gotten sick or been injured." I looked at him with sympathy in my eyes.

"Neji, I understand, but it is unwise to harbor such a hateful relationship towards a fellow shinobi- and a friend. Surely you can understand th-" He cut me off by standing and slamming his fists on the flat surface of the trunk at the end of my bed in exasperation, startling me and making me flinch.

"Some man could have taken advantage of you, and you wouldn't have even understood what was going on! I could have taken advantage of you, you being completely willing in the matter! Do you realize the seriousness of this?" He had started yelling, but was now calming down. His breathing was labored as his body hunched over in pain, and he began to whisper. "Something bad could have happened to you, and I could have not been there… Something bad… Something horrible…"

His fingers twitched as his eyes were wide and wild, something I had never seen in them. I sat up the best I could and leaned forward to take his hand in comfort, but I couldn't quite reach. He realized what I was trying to do and recoiled his hand immediately, instead taking a seat on the bed, which was as close as I thought he would dare get to me. I bit my lip and was able to reach him to put my hand on his shoulder.

"Neji, I know how bad the situation was, but people make mistakes. Please don't resent Fira, please, for me…" I trailed off, giving him my most hopeful eyes. He struggled internally, and I think he considered it before he retreated back into his anger. He shook with ferocity and I drew back, afraid of his reaction.

"I just can't Iza…" He hissed and gritted his teeth.

"Why?" I asked, on the verge of tears.

"Because…" He paused, still seething, "Unlike her, I care about you…" He finally worded out.

We sat in silence for what seemed like forever, and I wouldn't have noticed the tears pouring from my eyes if he hadn't pointed it out. He stood up from the bed and walked to my side, bending down on one knee. He wiped a new tear from my eye and I noticed his whole expression change to that of a twisted self-loathing sorrow.

"Please don't cry Iza." He said, trying to force a smile and failing. "I did not mean to make you sad… Please forgive me; I haven't been a gentleman at all."

He brushed his hand against my cheek, leaving me in a hunched over position on the bed with confusion in my eyes and butterflies in my stomach. He smiled a genuine smile before taking my hand in comfort one last time.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot forgive Fira. I think it would be best if I left now." He dropped my hand, which fell with a limp thud to the bed, and exited through the door.

I sat silently on the bed before falling backwards on my pillow. The music from the stereo slowly faded and the lyrics began to repeat in my mind, lulling me to sleep. My eyes closed as the words echoed over and over again…

"My fingertips are holding onto the cracks in our foundations…

I know that I should let go, but I can't…

And every time we fight, I know that it's not right.

Every time that you're upset, I just smile.

I know that I should forget, but I can't…"

**Peculiar People**

This place was disgusting. People were bunched together at tables; Some were even drunk. Certain groups of these horrid people were singing an out of tune harmony, while others just chatted about insignificant things. It was hot in here and they were all sweating, and even with my poor eyesight, I could see the beads of sweat trailing down a man at the table next to me's face. I cringed and tried to avoid touching anything here or speaking to anyone who might notice me.

Lee was taking forever in the bathroom. He said we would only be here for a few moments, but he had been in there for at least fifteen minutes while I squirmed in discomfort waiting for him. I bit my lip until it bled and sucked on the red iron substance that poured from the wound.

I heard the bell that was attached to the wall above the door ring, and as I acted upon my paranoia and allowed my eyes to dart over to the entrance to see who the newcomer was, I began to gape as I recognized their features. The blood from my lip started to drip, and I paid it no heed.

"Kiki!" Tenten shouted, running in my direction. Before I had time to react, her arms were around me in a tight hug. I was powerless to stop her. "I'm so happy you made it!" She beamed.

"Made what?" I asked, completely perplexed as my suspicion was reaching a whole new level. She frowned as her brow wrinkled in frustration.

"Lee never told you?" She asked, a firm line of anger began to morph into her mouth.

"Told me what? Lee's using the bathroom…" I informed her.

"Hold on Kiki, please don't move." Tenten begged, apology clearly written on her face. I looked around at the inhabitants of the restaurant, and watched as one child stuffed an entire crayon into his nose.

"I'm not going anywhere…" I muttered under my breath in her direction, but I don't believe she heard.

I waited no more than twenty seconds when she had reemerged, now dragging Lee by his sorry collar, over to where I stood. She looked like she was whispering furious reprimands at him under her breathe, and by the look on his face, possibly a few insults and threats too. I pondered what they had planned for me.

"Miss Kiki, I do apologize for leaving you here all alone, but I had to pretend to be doing something otherwise you would have questioned my motives before Tenten had arrived to explain things to you." Lee apologized to me, and I blinked furiously, taking in the content of his words.

"You see, um, Kiki, you're going to be staying here with us for a few hours." Tenten smiled nervously. I didn't say anything, so she elaborated. "We want to celebrate your birthday with you."

"My birthday already passed a week ago." I frowned, confused on why they would bring me to such a place.

"Yes, but we wanted to throw you a party." Tenten and Lee said in unison. I was still confused.

"Fira already threw me a party." I explained, turning to leave now that this whole fiasco was cleared up, but Tenten and Lee pulled me by the shoulder back to them.

"No," Tenten paused, seeming to get frustrated with me. "Fira tried to, and you removed all traces of any invitation from the village. We want to throw you a real party, with everyone here to celebrate it with you." Tenten beamed.

"Everybody? Whose everybody?" I began to ask, but my eyes opened wide in shock when everybody in the bistro stopped what they were doing to turn and look at me with huge smiles plastered on their faces.

A massive wave of smoke emitted from everybody as they removed their transformation jutsus to reveal all of the original Rookie Nine, Sai and Fira, several teachers and senseis I once had, a smiling Temari wrapped up in Shikamaru's arms and a laughing Kankuro next to her, and several friends I had made outside of the village who had come to visit me. I could feel my cheeks turn red with embarrassment, knowing they were all there for me.

"Surprise!" They all shouted in unison. I jumped slightly and they all laughed at my reaction. "Happy birthday Kiki!" They all screamed joyfully, and I knew I was smiling.

Tenten ushered me to a seat at a table in the center of the room, and everybody pushed and shoved to see who would get to sit closest to me there. The eventual winners turned out to be Lee, Temari and Shikamaru, Kankuro, and Sakura. I was mildly surprised Tenten hadn't situated herself near me, but I looked around and realized she was orbiting around the room, making sure everyone was having fun and socializing. I was bombarded with questions from the residents of my table, and I had a few of my own to ask them.

"How come you never visit us in Suna?" Kankuro asked, feigning being completely crushed by my lack of visit to the terribly hot place. I didn't even have to answer as Temari supplied a response.

"Because she's afraid your face will haunt her dreams at night." Temari grinned at her brother, who scoffed and continued looking at me and asking me questions.

"But you totally miss me, don't you?" Kankuro asked with a wink, and I could feel my eyes grow wide and my cheeks turn red in embarrassment. Temari coughed a sharp 'no' under her breath, making Shikamaru laugh and Kankuro frown.

I had been close friends with Temari and her brother ever since Temari was appointed her job and was suddenly able to visit so frequently. I had always gotten along with Shikamaru, and she always seemed to linger by him, so I quickly formed bonds with her as well. Soon after our friendship, Kankuro suddenly had business in Konoha as well, and always orbited towards be when I was attempting to remain inconspicuous at a store, complimenting my tastes in food or some other rubbish; Temari once told me he only did so as a means to steal cake from my house. It made perfect since: He was always around me when he visited, trying to become closer to me, and always turning red in the face when I happened to accidentally brush up against him, (I'm assuming his face was red with hunger), and he always asked if he could come to my house to visit, (obviously to steal the cake). I asked Temari repeatedly if her brother really did want to do such a horrible thieving thing, and she would burst out into a fit of giggles, barely able to honk out a 'yes' in her laughter.

Temari leaned against Shikamaru and sighed, and he automatically smiled. I sunk down into my seat, wondering why being so unbearably close to another person would cause them such joy. They interlocked their fingers, causing Kankuro to make a gagging sound at the other side of the table, and for some reason I blushed. My brow furrowed in confusion at their display, and I wondered temporarily how it would feel to do that with another person. It was soon dismissed from my mind though, for I had cringed out of habit at the thought of human contact. Temari's eyes shot open in realization, and she stopped what she doing, staring intently at me.

"I'm so sorry Kiki, does this bother you?" She asked, embarrassed.

"No.." I said slowly, staring at their interlocked fingers, unable to stop myself. "Not at all…" I added. She smiled, relieved.

An envious sigh came from the other end of the table, and we all looked in Sakura's direction and immediately understood. She smiled at me, a question suddenly springing up in her mind.

"Kiki, have you found a love interest?" She asked, and I could feel my pixie-short hair spike out in tension. Kankuro for some reason leaned closer in his seat.

"No…" I said too quickly, and Temari looked like she might laugh. "Of course not!" A waiter poured us glasses of water, and I sipped on it nervously.

"Miss Kiki." Lee started, but took a small break to sip his glass of water as well. "You do not have to be ashamed of your romances. A beautiful young rose such as yourself should not try to hide from everyone." Lee stated passionately, and I cringed at the word 'beautiful'. I felt like this was a coming of age party, not a birthday.

"Seriously. I don't have anyone like that." I stated, staring down at my glass of water, trying to oppress any bitterness that may have been lodged in that sentence. Lee grabbed my hands, and I flinched.

"Miss Kiki, do not fret! You will find someone that will make you very happy." Lee assured me hopefully. I felt a smile twinge at the base of my lips.

"Kiki!" Tenten shouted, startling me from behind. "We got you a cake!" My eyes brightened at the word.

Kiba and Naruto appeared with a massive round cake, smothered in white frosting. In a bright cherry-flavored font spelled out the words 'Happy Birthday Kiki!', and red frosting cherry blossoms were sprouting madly everywhere on the cake. They placed the monster of a delicacy in front of me, and my eyes grew wide. My tongue licked my lips and I heard laughs at my reaction followed by camera flashes. Tenten quickly placed candles on it's surface, and strategically lit them, reminding me I had to share the cake with everyone.

"Make a wish!" Naruto grinned, and I smiled back at him.

I stared at the cake for a moment, pondering what to wish for. I smiled, finally deciding on my request, and blew the candles out completely. Clapping sounded from my audience, and many people cheered. I thought of my wish, and felt content that it was just what I needed.

I wished for someone who could help me to stop being so afraid of everything.

Tenten patted me on the back, and began to dissect my beloved cake. She gave me a massive piece that fell with a cheerful thud onto my plate, and I quickly scooped up a big bite into my mouth. I felt the frosting smear across my cheek and I smiled a candy store smile. Chouji approached the cake, and I made sure to give him my deepest most fearful glare; If he had an ounce more than I did, he would pay.

"Birthday kiss for the birthday girl!" Kiba and Kankuro shouted in unison, and both of them pecked me on opposite cheeks. I grimaced, knowing one cheek would be graced with frosting, the other with smeared purple makeup. They laughed at my reaction.

Everyone was finished with his or her cake after awhile, and Tenten soon imposed ice cream upon us all. We happily accepted, and all lazily sat in our seats, conversing again, allowing the food to settle in our stomachs. I rubbed my belly appreciatively, and snuggled closer down into my seat. I sighed, completely content and surprisingly comfortable here with this large group of people.

Tenten bounded towards me, something hidden behind her back. I raised my brow in suspicion, and she giggled, thrusting a handsomely wrapped gift towards me. The little box was covered in shiny pink wrapping, and was adorned by royal blue ribbon. I smiled awkwardly at her and she beamed.

"Open it!" She urged.

I began fumbling with the paper, eventually giving up on saving it and ripping it apart revealing a small jar with a strange liquid inside. I looked at Tenten, confused.

"We are shinobi, but we're also females, and sometimes we need something that helps us remember that. It's a special lotion the Lady Tsunade made, that no matter how ugly a scar is, or how rough your skin is, it will heal it and leave it looking beautifully." Tenten smiled, proud of herself for finding such a rare commodity.

"Thank you." I smiled, opening the jar and dripping a single drop onto my hands, feeling as it healed and softened my hands. Tsunade's medical expertise sometimes scared me.

Everyone looked over towards me, realizing that I had begun to open gifts. They surged around me, a wave of arms pulling me in their direction to look upon the gift they had to offer me. My goggles bounced against the top of my head, most likely to leave a bruise on my scalp there later. Sakura had a dress to give me, Ino offered rare flowers, and several of my teachers bought me valuable books to fuel my reading fetish. Everyone had something special for me, and I was almost crushed under the wave of their supreme generosity.

I huddled up in a corner after the frenzy was finished and I had a pile of presents sitting next to me. Tenten had argued with the bistro owner until he allowed her to push all his tables to the sides of the building, making way for a dance floor. She played upbeat indie music, knowing of how much I liked it, but I still refused to step into the mass of dancing partners moving wildly about in the middle of the restaurant. My dancing was horrible, being that I lacked all fluidity and would appear completely stiff, and I did not wish to embarrass myself. I snuck away towards the exit, hoping to find the kitchen and in it my cake, but the bell above the door rang and caught me off guard.

Nobody else seemed to hear it over the sound of the music, and I gaped at the nearest arrival. Standing in the doorway looking unsatisfied was the Kazekage, looking intimidating and stern upon my party. I had never formally met the man, but anytime he was near, I felt nervous and dizzy. Lee assured me that he was secretly friendly and even Temari said that he was simply just quiet, not menacing, but I still could not control the involuntary shaking that was happening in my body and the uncomfortable lurching in my stomach. I peeped my eyes up above the booth to sneak a peek at him, and found him staring back at me in return. I shot back down, embarrassed with myself for being caught.

He walked towards Temari on the dance floor, who immediately separated herself from Shikamaru, to whisper something quickly to her. Kankuro wandered towards them, as worried as I that Gaara was here; It must be an important matter for him to have had left the village. Temari's face turned bleak, and Kankuro gaped. They both nodded their heads and the trio started towards me. Temari's face was apologetic.

"I'm sorry Kiki, but I have to leave. Kankuro can stay though." She said, and quickly wondered if the last part was reassuring to me or not. She hugged me, and I did not pull away. I opened my eyes a little to pear over her shoulder at Gaara, who to my dismay was staring at me. My eyes quickly shot closed and Temari broke the embrace.

"I'm sorry to have ruined your birthday party Miss…?" Gaara trailed off so I could insert my name.

"K-Kiki…" I stuttered.

"Miss Kiki." He stated. He went for my hand, but I automatically recoiled before cursing myself for being so impolite to him. He frowned, hurt that I was treating him unkindly. "I am sorry."

"It's okay!" I barked, nervous and jumpy, and Temari couldn't stifle her laughter. Gaara looked at her, obviously confused, but she waved it off.

"She's intimidated by you." I heard Temari whisper to him under her breath. Gaara nodded.

"Miss Kiki." He bowed, about to turn and leave, but I accidentally stopped him by doing the most foolish thing I had done by far: I attempted to curtsy, but my ankles got tangled together and I fell forward, crashing into him and knocking us both over.

We landed with a thud to the ground, and my puny form landed on his stone-hard stomach, which blazed with desert heat that I was sure would burn my skin to touch. My tiny hands were crushed underneath the weight of my body that they were trying to catch, and my goggles fell off my head. My face was pushed into his neck, and I briefly could smell his scent, which was a mixture close to that of sand, sugar, and peaches, which I thought to be an odd combination for him.

I looked up towards his eyes to see that were filled with surprise and staring back into mine. I could feel my cheeks turn a bright puce red, and surprisingly I watched as his did the same. I bit my lip in anger at myself for my supreme clumsiness, and squeaked when his hand touched the middle portion of my back. In one swift motion, he had scooped me up and placed my feet back on solid ground, but his hand remained on my vertebrae. He noted this too and slowly and what seemed like reluctantly removed it, quickly putting his hands back to his sides. I hid my eyes in shame for my ineptness at life.

"You should possibly be more careful Miss Kiki." Gaara said, blushing. I had embarrassed the Kazekage, and surely should be shunned from the village for my stupidity.

"I-I should." I stuttered out. Temari giggled next to him, which confused me. Gaara stood awkwardly in front of me, unsure of how to depart.

"Goodbye now…" He finally said, and began to bow, but then remembered my reaction before and stopped himself. He walked quickly away, surely eager to rid himself of my presence. Temari giggled again, and I looked up at her, red in the face with humiliation and mortification at my actions. She began laughing.

"I think he likes you." She stated before running off. Kankuro lingered with me while his siblings left, a very depressed look plastered on his face.

I bet he was sad because he realized he would never be able to steal cake from me.

* * *

**Gaara showed up! WOOH! **

* * *


End file.
